On this day

The will of William Burr (d. 1612)

In the name of God Amen The xxith
Day of September AnoDni 1612 I William Bur
of Marden in the countie of Kent Brodeweaver [1] beinge
of food & p[er]fecte memorie thanks be gyven unto almightie
god therefore, Doe make this my last will & testaments
in manner & forme folloloinge First I bequeathe my
soule into the hands of almightie god my Creator
Redeemer and Sanctifier, stedfastly trustinge throughe
the preatious blood sheddinge of Jesus Christe, all
my synnes are freely pardoned and forgyven mee,
and my body to be buried, wheresoever if shall please
god to appointe, Item I gyve unto the poore
people of the p[ar]ishe of Marden vs. of lawfull
englishe mony to be distrubuted amongst them: Item
I gyve unto my daughter Rachaell the wife ofJohn Thatcher of Marden Ten pounds of Lawfull
mony of England to be paid unto her wthin two
yeares next after my decease, Item I gyve unto
my sonne Henrie Bur both my Loomes and all my
tacklings whatsoever thereunto belonginge to be taken
awaye by the said Henrie after two yeares expired
next after my decease & not before [2] Item I gyve
unto Marie my daughter the wife of John Walker
of Marden myne old Caldron Item I gyve unto
everyie one of John Thatchers daugher xxs a peece
to be paid within two yeares next after my decease
Item I gyve unto Jane Bur my sonne Edwards
daughter xxs to be paid within two yeares next
after my decease All the residue of my moveables
goods and Chattells whatsoever I gyve unto Rachell Bur my wife whome I make sole Executrix of this
my last will and testamente
This is the last will and testamente of mee
William Bur made & declared the day and yeare
abovesaid Concerninge the disposition of
all my Tenements and lands First I gyve and
bequeathe to Rachell Bur my wife duringe two
whole yeares next after my decease the profitts
and Comodities of my mesuage or tenement wherein
I dwell and the lands thereunto belonginge and
[p.2]
also the moytie and halfe p[ar]te of my lands that
belonge to John Burchett and to me the testator
undevided duringe the said terme of 2 yeares
keeping reparations and makinge noe strip nor wast
And also allowinge at her owne costs all necessaries
whatsoever unto my sonne William Burr duringe
the said two whole yeares And at the endinge of the
said two yeares, I doe gyve and bequeathe the p[ro]fittes
& Com[m]odities of my said mesuage or tenement wherin
I dwell, and the landes that belonge to John Burchett
and ^ {to} mee undevided to the said Rachell Bur my wife
and to my sonne William Bur, duringe all the tyme
and terme of the naturall life of the said Rachaell
kepinge rep[ar]ations & makinge no strip nor wast
And after the decease of Rachell my wife I gyve
the said mesuage or Tenemente wherein I dwell and the
Landes thereunto belonginge, and also the Landes unde=
vided betweene me and John Burchett to Henrie
bur my sonne and to his heires in fee simple forever
Upon this condition that the said Henrie doe yearely
paye or cause to be yearely paid unto the said William
Bur my sonne duringe all the tyme or terme of his
naturall life, the full some of seven poundes of
Lawfull mony of England at iiiior usuall feastes &
termes in the yeare (that is to saye) at the feast
of Ste. Michaell tharchangell, the birth day of or
Saviour Jesus Christe, the Annu[n]tiation of the
blessed Virgine Marye, and the Nativitie of Ste
John Baptist by even & equall portions to be paid
The first payment to begyn upon the first Feast
Daye next after the decease of Rachaell my wife
Item I gyve and bequeathe unto my wife Rachell
and Williame Bur my sonne and to the longer
lyver of them, my newe tenement & the landes
thereunto belonginge wherein my sonne Edward
[p.3]
Burrs widowe nowe dwelleth untill such tyme asWilliam Bur the sonne of Edward Bur shall accom=
plishe the age of one and twentie yeares uppon this
condition that the said Rachell and William Bur doe
yearely pay or cause to be paid unto Marie the vid of Edward Bur towards the education & bringing up
of her three children Williame John & Jane Bur
the full some of thirtie shillinges of good and lawfull
mony of England at iiiior usuall feastes or termes in the
yeare, that is to saye, the feast of Ste. Michaell tharch=
angell, the birth day of our Saviour Jesus Christe
the Annu[n]tiacon of the blessed Virgine Marie, and the
Nativitie of Ste John ^ {the} Baptiste by even & equall portions,
The first payment to begyn the first feast day of the
feastes above said next after my decease, Also my Will is
and minde is that after the said William Bur the sonne
of Edward Bur shall accomplishe the full age of one and
twentie yeares, Then I doe gyve the said newe
tenement and the lands thereunto belonginge to the said
Williame Bur and to his heires for ever [3], Upon this
condition that the said William Bur shall paye or cause
to be paid unto John Bur his brother yearely duringe
all the tyme and terme of his natuall life the full some
of twentie shillinges of good and lawfull mony of
England, at iiiior usuall feastes or termes in the yeare
that is to saye at the feast of Ste Michaell tharchangell
the birth of our Saviour Christe, the Annu[n]siacon of
the blessed Virgine Marie and the Nativite of Ste.
John Baptist by even and equall portions to be paid
The first day of payment to begyn, the first feast
daye after the said William Bur shall come to the
age of one and twentie yeares And if it shall happen
the said Williame Bur to die without yssue of his
body lawfully begotten Then I do gyve the said
newe tenemt and Land thereunto belonginge unto
Henrie Bur my sonne and to his heires for ever
[p.4]
upon the like condition that he the said Henrie
Bur doe yearely paye or cause to be paid unto the
said John Bur the some of twentie shillinges yearely
in sich manner and forme as his brother Williame
should have paid the same xxs abovesaid duringe
the life tyme of the said John Bur, In witnes
whereof I the said Williame Bur the testator
have sette my hand and seale the day and yeare
first above written These beinge presente witnesses
Richard Walker, Salmon Boxer clerke, Salmon
Boxer Signa Wmi Bur testatorib[us] Sigilla
Willmii Bur

Footnotes

[1] weaver of broadcloth, speciality of the Wealden weavers

[2] why only take tacklings after 2 years, were they seen as useful to Rachel?

[3] possibly the tenement and land that Jane Burr had supposedly inherited and over which there was a Grigsby Court of Chancery case. The fact that after her brother’s death it was to pass not to her but to her uncle Henrie may explain the mortgage on it. The provision for money from it to go to Edward’s son John was not needed – he only outlived his grandfather by some 3 months.

A little more on my thinking regarding this on the page with my transcription of the Court of Chancery pleadings. (However, with Jane’s grandfather who left the property, her brother who inherited it, her son who claimed it and her husband who defended his right to it, plus the person who provided her with a mortgage all being called William may make it hard to read – I am working on a tree).

The will was proved in the Archdeaconry Court of Canterbury and is viewable on microfilm at the CCA or KHLC.

This is a transcript of the register copy, CCA ref: PRC/17/59/233b (more details about source will be on William’s page). With thanks to Ray Jarvis for sending me a copy of this will.

The original will also survives (CCA ref: PRC/16/143 B/24); I have not checked the copy against this.